Roberts: Swans Have 'Team' Advantage Over Cardiff

Former Welsh international and Norwich City striker Iwan Roberts says Swansea City are more of a 'team' than Cardiff City which gives them an advantage for the final run-in.

Roberts says that while Cardiff City have some great individuals in their squad, the Swans and Norwich - who face each other on Saturday, play better as a team which could be 'crucial' as all three teams look to secure an automatic promotion place.

Cardiff City and Swansea City are level on points while Norwich City are 4 points ahead in second place.

Iwan Roberts said:

'I felt before the Preston game that Swansea would need to win five or six of their last eight games if they were going to finish second,'

'I still think they need that many wins and there are only seven games left, so it is going to take something special.

'But Swansea have a chance, and I think it will be between them and Norwich to go up with Queens Park Rangers, who are already there in my mind.

'I know Cardiff are on the same number of points as Swansea but, while they have some good individual players, I don't think they're great as a team.

'Norwich and Swansea both play as teams, and that is an advantage they both have over Cardiff.

'Playing as a team is crucial when you get to this stage of the season.'

Roberts also spoke about his former club Norwich who look to put a big dent in Swansea's promotion hopes on Saturday:

'Norwich play a similar style to Swansea in that both sides like to pass the ball,'

'But Norwich probably have a bit more of a cutting edge. They play a diamond in midfield, so there is not a lot of width.

'But they have Wes Hoolahan who causes havoc in midfield, and Grant Holt has thrived up front.

'Simeon Jackson came off the bench to score a hat-trick last week, and Daniel Pacheco, who has just come on loan from Liverpool, was superb on his debut.

'Norwich have not lost two games in a row since Paul Lambert came to the club and there is huge self-belief in the dressing room.

'They have scored lots of late goals this year and that tells you they never know when they are beaten.

'They are probably not as solid defensively as they would like to be, but they have the firepower to make up for that.